Inside the Phillies with MLB.com beat writer Todd Zolecki

Line Drive Hits Oswalt In Neck

Roy Oswalt suffered the scariest moment of Spring Training today at Charlotte Sports Park, but the Phillies think he should be OK.

Manny Ramirez hit Oswalt just behind his right ear with a line drive in the fourth inning. Oswalt tumbled to the turf, coming to rest on his back. Charlie Manuel, Rich Dubee, assistant athletic trainer Mark Andersen and players rushed to his side as they feared the worst for one of their star pitchers.

“Scary,” Dubee said.

The Phillies think Oswalt should be fine. He suffered a bruised neck, but the Phillies said he never lost consciousness or experienced any dizziness. X-rays and a CT scan returned negative, and those who saw him in the clubhouse said he was coherent.

“It looked bad until you got out there,” Dubee said. “I mean, it was still bad. But he responded well.”

Oswalt, who eventually walked to the visitor’s clubhouse under his own power, told Dubee that he wanted to remain in the game.

“How many pitches have I got?” he said.

“Enough for today,” Dubee replied.

Manuel said he thinks Oswalt should make his next start Monday against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Bright House Field. Oswalt threw 57 pitches before he left the game. He threw 80 pitches in his previous start, so Dubee thinks Oswalt will be fine for his scheduled April 3 start against the Houston Astros at Citizens Bank Park.

If the ball had struck Oswalt a few inches higher it could have been worse. If Ramirez had made better contact it could have been worse, too.

f_i_j, I think first we need to be thankful that Oswalt isn’t injured more seriously. And second, I seriously doubt that he wanted to be hit in the head/neck with a line drive ball. We just need to be hopeful that when the season starts the injuries remain at a minimum.

I’m reminded of the scene in “Apollo 13″ where, during liftoff one of the second-stage engines burns out. Lovell says, “Well, it looks like we just had our glitch for this flight.”
Two days later, they were drifting through space with a giant hole in the Service Module.

Most teams need spring training to determine the balance of their roster, although we all thought the Phillies roster was pretty much set before they even got there. Can’t take anything for granted.
Except for Roy Halladay of course, but that’s a bout it.

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